I HAVE DECIDED TO LOOK FOR MY REAL FATHER

Chapter 11 - 15

Chapter 11 - Striking back (2)

After just a little while, Zhang Cui couldn't stand the dirtiness anymore. She took the opportunity when Lin Xi was outside and had Uncle Li helped get out the blankets and sheets from the trunk and put them on top of the bed board.

It wasn't like the dust would bother her through the sheets.

Once she was done tidying up, Zhang Cui pulled Lin Xi inside and said, "You can start unpacking now. I am going to say hi to a few of our relatives. I gathered that you are quite tired so you don't need to come with."

-- Visiting relatives etc. was a lie. According to the novel, Zhang Cui wasn't able to locate Zhang Qiang so she gave the money to the "referrer" and returned to City B.

Not that it mattered to Lin Xi whether Zhang Cui was going to stay around or not.

After Zhang Cui had taken off, Lin Xi walked over to the bed and picked up her bag.

The bag looked the same as before and didn't look touched. Lin Xi looked through it but did not find her cellphone.

It wasn't difficult to figured out that it had been taken away by Zhang Cui.

Luckily, Lin Xi had expected that and brought with her her old cellphone before they took off.

She took a look at the time. It was still early and Zhang Qiang probably wouldn't be back for a little while longer. Lin Xi pulled out two energy bar and some water from her, ate them, and set up more preparations.

***

Sure enough, Zhang Cui never returned that night.

Zhang Qiang, however, stumbled back. He had with him a new bottle of alcohol and a plastic bag with food he had taken with him from a buffet.

Zhang Qiang picked up one of the two bowls from earlier, emptied out the water onto the ground, and put the bag inside of it.

He placed it in front of Lin Xi and said, "Eat."

Lin Xi didn't move and Zhang Qiang didn't care either. He drank on his own while looking Lin Xi up and down.

"You know how to cook and do laundry, right?" He asked.

Lin Xi didn't talk and Zhang Qiang went on, "This is not the city and you are not going to be doted. You need to learn what you don't know. I am not keeping you if you can't help out."

"Eat this. Then pick up my clothes from my room and wash them. Get up earlier tomorrow to make breakfast. We don't have a lot of food at home. You walk out of this door, and pick whatever vegetables that you can find outside of other people's houses."

Listen to Zhang Qiang's matter of fact speech, Lin Xi kept her head lowered and remained silent. Her hands, inside her pockets, held on tightly to her maze and cellphone.

Zhang Qiang looked at her for a while longer and asked, "How old are you?"

"14," replied Lin Xi.

The girl's voice excited Zhang Qiang. His eyes rolled around. "You are not that young then. A few years back you would already have children of your own."

Seeing that Lin Xi still didn't say anything, Zhang Qiang was displeased. "You are way too quiet."

"Here, come and drink with your uncle." Zhang Qiang dumped out the water in the other bowl and poured some alcohol in it. He pushed the bowl toward Lin Xi.

When he had a good look of Lin Xi, his eyes lit up and a dirty look crossed his face.

He hadn't expected that Zhang Cui's granddaughter was quite attractive. For sure she would feel better than those 10-yuan women at the end of the village. She was skinny but what's something different?